The NCAA Women’s Final Four officially kicked off the final countdown to the penultimate and ultimate games of the season. Set for April 2-5 in downtown Phoenix, the event will bring specialized venues, entertainment and major-event style broadcasting capabilities, ensuring that all eyes will be on the Valley.

“The NCAA Women’s Final Four is a milestone moment for Phoenix, and we’re excited to turn championship weekend into a citywide celebration,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said. “With free, family-friendly events throughout downtown, the week will put Phoenix’s love for women’s basketball on full display.”

Held at Mortgage Matchup Center, organizers from the NCAA, the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee and other statewide leaders spoke about the exciting things coming during the big event.

One of the events is the Women’s Final Four Tourney Town presented by Capital One. This interactive fan fest will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center and will offer games, giveaways, special guests and more to the attendees.

A new addition to the fold is the Four it All Fest, an outdoor block party with live music, vendors and viewing areas for both men’s and women’s Final Four games. 

Other key venues fans can go are the Women’s Final Four Super Saturday presented by Samsung Galaxy, Women’s Final Four Bounce presented by GEICO, Beyond the Baseline and the Super Saturday Concert presented by AT&T. 

“As the success of the women’s basketball championship grows every year, we’re excited that Phoenix will host this year’s Women’s Final Four for the first time ever,” said Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president of women’s basketball. “Phoenix has been an incredible partner, and we’re excited to build on the success of women’s basketball and crown our national champion in April.”

Locally, fans have an opportunity to see their hometown team participate in the Final Four. Arizona State University’s women’s basketball program is on the cusp of making its first tournament appearance since 2020. Under the leadership of new head coach Molly Miller, the Sun Devils are 22-8, firmly in the hunt for a tournament bid. 

Miller said that the ability for all eyes to be on the Valley promotes positive exposure for the university and her players. 

“We can’t wait to take advantage of that,” she said.

ESPN will be the primary broadcaster for the Final Four. ESPN Vice President of Production Meg Aronowitz said that it will be bringing in the same amount of production equipment for the Women’s Final Four as it did with the College Football Playoff. That matchup, the University of Miami faced off against the eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers, was broadcasted to over 30 million viewers, making it the most-watched title game since 2015. 

“We’re getting more diverse,” she said. “Women are watching and that’s where it’s important because that opens up eyeballs, doorways and pathways to new opportunities which benefits everybody in the world.”

With the fan experiences, top-tier basketball and the ability to show the world the event, the Women’s Final Four backs the belief that Phoenix, and Arizona as a whole are more than capable of hosting a big, successful event. 

“Hosting the NCAA Women’s Final Four for the first time is a milestone moment for Phoenix, and we want the entire community to share in the celebration,” said Jay Parry, CEO of the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee. “With free fan events, community programs and opportunities to experience the championship up close, there are so many ways for people to get involved and celebrate this historic moment for our state.”